Admitting It
by sevenmerrymen
Summary: Sasuke has some confessions... but so does Sakura. SasuSaku - not necessarily "canon" plotline - the rating may progressively get higher.  I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Sakura Haruno stood in her mirror, brushing her soft, pink hair. Her mind wandered over the chores she had to do today and the list of groceries she needed to buy at the store. "Milk, instant ramen, and some chicken and rice for tonight's dinner." she mumbled to herself. Sakura was having Naruto and Hinata over that night. They were going to eat and relax.

After making herself perfectly presentable - as she always made sure to do - she grabbed her small wallet and attached it to her thigh strap. Sakura hummed a tune to herself while she stepped out into the heat. It was an unusually hot day, she noticed. That didn't bother her. She liked the warmth. Warmth reminded her to be positive.

She walked slowly through town, in no hurry. It was around ten in the morning and she wasn't having Naruto and Hinata over until four in the afternoon. She figured if she went to eat lunch at Ramen Ichiraku and dallied there for awhile, then bought her food and went back home to prepare the house and the meal, she'd have perfect timing. She passed Shikamaru in the street and gave him a warm smile and a nod. Shikamaru, leaning against a wall and halfway listening to a little girl chattering, lifted his chin lazily toward Sakura and puffed his cigarette.

It had been a year since all of the drama with Sasuke had finally ended. He had come to terms with the town and now lived somewhere on its outskirts. He was never around. That didn't bother Sakura at all. She had moved on long ago. Sakura had no one in mind when it came to romance. After her parents died, she lost all interest in any love that wasn't platonic.

Sakura took a seat at Ramen Ichiraku. The man behind the counter approached her and waited for her order. "Just a regular bowl, please." Sakura said kindly. "Hai." the man replied quietly as he headed back to prepare her ramen. Sakura's mind drifted to all kinds of things. She wondered if Ino was having any luck in wooing the new clothing salesman up the road. She thought about what she would do with her hair that night. She thought about Naruto and how happy he is with Hinata. This thought brought a small smile to Sakura's face. It made her happy to see Naruto happy.

A medium sized bowl of Ramen was set in front of Sakura's face, taking her out of her thoughts and into reality. The hot noodles smelled delicious and they sizzled lightly. Sakura's stomach rumbled and she happily brought the hot noodles to her lips to blow them cool. The best ramen in town was right. Sakura thought about the times she had spent with her former teammates there.

She sighed contently after finishing her ramen - because it was delicious but also because she liked her memories.

"You seem pleased." a cold voice stated from behind her. Sakura's skin prickled up into goosebumps and her stomach lurched. She didn't turn around. She didn't need to, to know who was behind her. Sasuke Uchiha took a seat beside her. He ordered a bowl of Ramen and folded his hands on the counter, looking down at his icy white fingers. Sakura stared blankly into her bowl. If she had learned anything from Sasuke... it was how to stay composed.

"You don't have anything to say to me?" Sasuke inquired, looking at Sakura from the corner of his eyes the way he always had. Sakura looked at the side Sasuke's expressionless face, matching the calm. "What do you expect me to say, Sasuke?" Sakura was surprised by her own cool voice and the relaxed way she said his name. She was more calm than she'd imagined she would be in this situation - not that she had imagined meeting up with him...

Sasuke turned to completely look into Sakura's face. He studied it slowly then replied, "I don't know. I figured you might ask how I was doing or something." Sakura raised her eyebrows in a fashion that said, "I care?" Sasuke looked like he was about to say something but before he could start, his ramen was set in front of him. His attention flickered away from Sakura and he eventually focused more on his food.

Sakura stood and gave the man behind the counter the money for her ramen. She started off but Sasuke called, "Sakura," She stopped in her tracks, turning her head enough for him to know she was listening. There was a beat of silence. Sasuke studied her profile and her back. His eyes trailed her spine, past her backside, down her legs, and to her feet. "Sakura," he said again, completely emotionaless then added, "will you meet me at the bridge tonight?"

Sakura turned her head back to the store she was headed to. "Sorry," she said lightly. Sasuke's face dropped a little but he kept up the act of not being surprised. Sakura started to walk off as she called behind her, "I already have plans."

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><p><em>Writer's note:<em>

_This is my very first fanfiction. Feel free to review! x_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Sakura once again stood at her mirror. Dinner was hot on the stove and she was in a nice outfit. A loose, white button up blouse with a pencil skirt. Her house smelled like flowers that she'd decided to buy at Ino's flower shop.  
><em>Now to apply my eyeshadow.<em> Sakura thought to herself. She took out a small compact and applied a light peach shade to her upper eyelids. After she finished, she applied a bit of mascara then smiled at the mirror. Sakura loved to look beautiful for her friends. She spun around once and giggled smally. There was a light rapping at the door.  
>Sakura walked across her small home and answered the door. Naruto stood alone with a large, cocky smile on his face. Sakura's eyes skimmed the yard and street for Hinata but there was no sign of her. Naruto waited to be invited inside. Sakura looked up into his face and asked him inside. "Where is Hinata?" she asked him as she went to the kitchen. "Hm? Oh! She went to go get some mochi. She felt bad that she didn't have her cook make something. She'll be here soon." Naruto sighed as he sat down at Sakura's small table. Sakura nodded and thought about how sweet Hinata was.<br>Pots in hand, Sakura came and set the food down on the table. The plates and chopsticks were already set out. Sakura noticed, then, how nice Naruto looked tonight and figured out why he looked so cocky at the door and slightly disappointed at the table. "You look sharp, Naruto." she grinned at him. He had a dark blue button down on with black slacks and black shiny shoes. Naruto's eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "Hinata thought so too! You look pretty, also, Sakura."  
>Sakura thanked him and they both made their plates but waited for Hinata. Sakura watched Naruto as he stared at his food. The compliment he gave her wasn't the old, lovesick kind that it would've been years ago. It was a kind and friendly compliment. Naruto was like a brother to Sakura now. They had been through so much together - how could he not feel like family?<br>There was a barely audible knock at the door. Sakura hopped up and answered it. Hinata stood in the doorway wearing a dark blue dress. It was knee-length and complimented her figure. The color matched Naruto's shirt. Hinata was holding a box of mochi. She looked guilty for being late.  
>"Sakura! I'm so sorry for being late! I brought you mochi for having us over..." Hinata blushed brightly. Sakura took the box from her and gestured for Hinata to come inside. "Hinata, don't worry about it. You didn't have to bring anything." Sakura smiled and Hinata simply replied, "Oh." before sitting down next to Naruto and making herself a plate. Sakura sat back down and they all began to eat. There was an empty chair next to Sakura. Normally the emptiness of Sakura's house didn't bother her but the chair's presence felt unusual to her tonight. Sakura shook off the feeling and engaged in light chit chat while they ate.<br>-

The three of them took seats on Sakura's couch and reminisced about old times. They recalled old missions, they recalled their former Senseis, they even recalled the Chunin Exams. They laughed mostly but there were times where they all sat quietly, lost in their own thoughts.  
>Time passed quickly and soon it was already eight at night. Hinata had to be up early in the morning and Naruto had an agenda of his own involving Hinata... so they thanked Sakura and took some mochi for the road. Sakura saw them out and watched them walk off down the street. She sighed and closed the door behind her, locking it. First, she cleaned up the table. After that, she cleaned up the whole kitchen and tidied up the living room. Sakura picked a book from her bookcase and relaxed back on the couch.<br>The book was about a young boy who was pulled away from his hateful family, into a world where things happened that he thought were only imaginable. It was one of Sakura's favorites. She read for an hour before her eyes started to tire. Sakura set the book down and lied back on the couch, sighing contentedly. She almost drifted to sleep before she heard something.  
>It was a slight scuffle right outside her door. Sakura's eyes flew open and she pushed herself up to look at her door. The bottom of the door showed that someone was standing there, in the porch light outside. Sakura barely breathed. She didn't move. It felt like an eternity before there was a soft knock at the door. A muffled voice called her name. "Sakura... Sakura?"<br>Sakura stood up, straighted out her skirt and brushed her hair down. She walked to the door and looked out the peephole. The porchlight casted a shadow across the visitor's face but the hair made it fairly obvious who it was. Sakura opened the door a bit. "Sasuke?" she questioned. The shadowy figure nodded. "What are you doing here?" Sasuke stepped in a way that the light revealed his torse. Blood stained his shirt and ran down his torso.  
>"What happened?" Sakura urged, taking Sasuke's hand and pulling him inside. This wasn't genjutsu. Sasuke was hurt. Sasuke held his hands to his wound and leaned against the now closed door. He was breathing heavily and was obviously in pain. He didn't answer her question. Sakura took Sasuke to the living room and helped him lie down on the couch. She held her hands over his chest and stomach and focused her chakra. Slowly, Sasuke's breathing relaxed and his gashed sealed.<br>Sasuke sat up and swung his legs down onto the ground. Sakura still stood next to him. He looked up at her face. There was a mixture of guilt and gratefulness in his eyes. A smile played at the corners of his mouth. Sakura stepped back a bit then went to the kitchen to make him some instant ramen. A newly healed man needs some food in his stomach. After the ramen was ready, Sakura brought the bowl to Sasuke, who sat with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He looked up and thanked Sakura for both helping him and feeding him. She only nodded.  
>Sasuke scarfed down the hot ramen so quickly that Sakura's stomach knotted up in pain. She was very full from dinner and seeing others eat was never something she liked when she was full. Although, her stomach might've knotted up because Sasuke Uchiha was in her home, eating her food, as if nothing bad had ever happened to them - as if he didn't leave... as if he hadn't tried to kill her a few times. Sasuke still held his bowl tightly, even after finishing his ramen.<br>"I don't want to talk about what happened." he stated blandly. "Oh really?" Sakura mused. That wasn't surprising. Sasuke looked up at her then down at his feet and mumbled, "It's... it's embarrassing." Sakura looked at Sasuke and wondered if he was blushing. It was a sight that she thought she'd forgotten. She just rolled her eyes and kept quiet.  
>After a long moment of silence, Sakura sighed, "Well, if you're just going to sit there staring at my carpet... I'm going to continue reading. Make yourself at home, I suppose - or leave which would be perfectly fine." Sasuke watches Sakura pick up her book and settle down on the opposite end of the couch with her book. He memorized the way her hair fell over her face and the way she delicately tucked it back behind her ear. He breathed calmly but his heart bounced inside him.<br>"Sakura," Sasuke said stiffly. Sakura looked up from her book. It was clear that she had completely forgotten he was there. Her emerald eyes contrasted his charcoal ones greatly. Hers were warm and full of life and memories; his were cold and dull, swallowed by his past. "Sakura," he started again. She nodded curiously. "What were the plans you had tonight?" Sakura blinked at him then answered, "I had Naruto and Hinata over for dinner."  
>Sasuke just looked at her. Sakura could tell that he was thinking very hard. She asked, "Why did you want me to meet you at the bridge?" He shrugged and replied, "The bridge was a nice place for our team. It brings good memories. I thought we could - I thought we... should catch up." He blinked many times.<br>Sakura kept her expression indifferent as she told him, "Catching up is something that friends do, Sasuke. I think that you should leave." Sasuke looked slightly surprised - unable to keep composure this time. It was obvious that he was hurt but he was not confused. He knew what he had done. He knew all of the things he had done. Sasuke nodded curtly, pursing his lips together to try not to show too much pain. After walking to the door, he looked back to see that Sakura had already delved back into her book. He locked the doorknob from the inside, and quietly departed.  
>Sakura's heart felt heavy and burdened. She threw her book away from her and ran to her room. Sasuke was not her friend. He had been nothing to her for a year after being everything to her for much, much longer. Sasuke knew that. Sakura cried herself to sleep, hoping that her dreams would take her to a happier place.<p> 


End file.
